463 Guelph Street, Halton Hills, ON
Parking Access: Mary St, off Hwy 7, Norval
www.willowparkecology.ca
A Not-for-Profit Corporation
Mailing Address:
c/o: Carolyn Martin, Manager
47 Irwin Cr, Georgetown, ON, L7G 1E7
905-877-2579 wpec@willowparkecology.ca
Willow Park Educational Nature Programs: Get to Know Nature Near You!
EYE-OPENING FIELD TRIPS AND IN-SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
Willow Park Ecology Centre
Grade JK/SK In-School Program
Nearby Nature Kindergarten – 1.5 hours
Note: you may subscribe to a full-day (3hrs) program consisting of an extended version of the program to
give students more time to engage in specific activities. Please take advantage of the enclosed Program
Letter to Parents as a field trip outreach resource.
Program Outline – Our Own Nature, Neighbourhood Ecology
Introduction – 5 – 10 minutes
Students will discuss what they have observed about nature in their schoolyard/neighbourhood.
Tour of schoolyard/local park – 30 minutes
On our trip around the schoolyard, we will stop to observe and investigate. Living and non-living things,
patterns and changes, will prompt questions and predictions from students. Simple tools will enhance the
investigative process. Fall colours, animal tracks in the snow, watching plants and animals carry out daily
activities may be seasonally available.
Seasonal role-playing activity – 20 minutes
Students act out the roles of familiar animals participating in seasonal activities such as migration and
searching for food.
Seasonal art activities – 15 minutes
Plant and animal observations will be recorded through simple art activities that can be shared.
Conclusion – 15 minutes
Some touchable examples from Willow Park will help students discuss the need to respect and care for
the nature around them.
Curriculum Expectations for Nearby Nature – Kindergarten (JK/SK)
Science and Technology
-
1.1 ask questions about and describe some natural occurrences, using their own observations and
representations
1
WP.GrJk/SK.01.15
463 Guelph Street, Halton Hills, ON
Parking Access: Mary St, off Hwy 7, Norval
www.willowparkecology.ca
A Not-for-Profit Corporation
Mailing Address:
c/o: Carolyn Martin, Manager
47 Irwin Cr, Georgetown, ON, L7G 1E7
905-877-2579 wpec@willowparkecology.ca
Willow Park Educational Nature Programs: Get to Know Nature Near You!
EYE-OPENING FIELD TRIPS AND IN-SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
-
1.2 sort and classify groups of living and non-living things in their own way
-
1.3 explore patterns in the natural and built environments
-
2.1 state problems and pose questions before and during investigations
-
2.2 make predictions and observations before and during investigations
-
2.3 select and use materials to carry out their own explorations
-
3.1 identify similarities and differences between local environments
-
3.3 identify ways in which they can care for and show respect for the environment
-
3.4 participate in environmentally friendly activities in the classroom and the schoolyard
-
4.1 identify practices that ensure their personal safety and the safety of others, and demonstrate an
understanding of the importance of these practices
-
4.4 select and use tools, equipment, and materials to construct things using the design process
Teacher’s Pre-visit Activities for Nearby Nature
Living Vs. Non-Living
Create a list with students with as many living things as they can think up. Discuss the clues that tell us if
something may be alive: living things grow, move and reproduce.
Create another list with as many non-living things as possible. How do they know if something is not
living? Use a seed as an example. It is not growing, moving, or reproducing while the students look at it.
Ask students to predict what might happen if it is planted, watered and given sunlight. Use a pebble or
button as another example. What might happen if the same process was carried out on this non-living
thing?
Where is Nature
Ask students to create a drawing, painting or sculpture of the previous experiences with nature. Are they
places that are indoors or outdoors? Are they places where there are lots of people or few people? Are
they close by or far away? When they go for their nature walk around the schoolyard, what do they
predict they will see?
What to Wear
In order to enjoy nature, we need to be comfortable in nature. We need to dress appropriately for our visit.
Using pictures, dress-up dolls, or student models, discuss what items of clothing to wear for different
2
WP.GrJk/SK.01.15
463 Guelph Street, Halton Hills, ON
Parking Access: Mary St, off Hwy 7, Norval
www.willowparkecology.ca
A Not-for-Profit Corporation
Mailing Address:
c/o: Carolyn Martin, Manager
47 Irwin Cr, Georgetown, ON, L7G 1E7
905-877-2579 wpec@willowparkecology.ca
Willow Park Educational Nature Programs: Get to Know Nature Near You!
EYE-OPENING FIELD TRIPS AND IN-SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
conditions outdoors. For example, if it is raining, boots will keep feet dry and comfortable, while shoes
would allow feet to get wet and cold.
A waterproof raincoat will keep our body warm and dry, while a sweater would get soaked and heavy and
not keep us warm. An umbrella may keep us from getting wet, but it has to be held in the hand we may
want to use for activities. It may also poke someone else as we try to take part in activities.
Teacher Post-visit Activities for Nearby Nature
Our Observations
Create a mural of the nature in your schoolyard. Show both the living and non-living parts students
observed in the air, at the tree level, on buildings, on the ground and even under the ground. Continue
observing throughout the seasons of the school year, and make changes to your mural as needed.
Tree Friends
Allow your students to choose a tree in the schoolyard to be their Tree Friend. It is fine if more than one
student has the same Friend.
Give students some time each week or each month to get to know their Tree Friend. How does it feel
when they touch it? What does it smell like? How is it changing? Test to see if they can recognize their
Tree Friend when they are blindfolded.
Allow students to find ways to care for their Tree Friend. They could give it a cup (or bucket) of water if
it has not rained very much. They could weed the ground around it, or spread mulch around it to keep
weeds from growing. They could pick up litter around it. They could even read aloud to their Tree Friend,
draw it, photograph it, etc.
Feathered Friends
Have students design and build birdfeeders for use outside the classroom window or at home. Or you
could purchase a classroom birdfeeder and mount it where students can observe it during outdoor
playtime.
Explore different feeder designs, and choose the one your students think is best suited to the birds in your
schoolyard or their backyards. If they are building the birdfeeders themselves, discuss what materials
would be easiest to work with, what materials would keep the food dry and contained, etc.
Observe and record the number and types of birds that visit the feeder. Don’t worry if you don’t know
what the species are called. Either get a copy of a children’s beginner birding book and look them up with
your students, or create your own names. What is important is what they observe the bird doing.
Experiment with offering different types of food to see what attracts the most birds to your feeder.
3
WP.GrJk/SK.01.15
463 Guelph Street, Halton Hills, ON
Parking Access: Mary St, off Hwy 7, Norval
www.willowparkecology.ca
A Not-for-Profit Corporation
Mailing Address:
c/o: Carolyn Martin, Manager
47 Irwin Cr, Georgetown, ON, L7G 1E7
905-877-2579 wpec@willowparkecology.ca
Willow Park Educational Nature Programs: Get to Know Nature Near You!
EYE-OPENING FIELD TRIPS AND IN-SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
Dear Parent or Guardian: on ________________________________________________, your child will
participate in an In-School Program given by Willow Park Ecology Centre (WPEC) Education Leaders.
Nearby Nature introduces kindergarten students to nature in their schoolyard. It provides hands-on
opportunities for observing and investigating the living and non-living parts of their world. They will gain
an understanding of nature around them, and why they need to respect and care for that nature.
Students will take a tour of their own schoolyard, or a nearby park, to observe and investigate the plants
and animals that are at home in those spaces. They will conduct focused explorations of the environment,
using simple and safe tools. Kindergarten students will also role-play the part of a familiar animal as it
carries out a seasonal activity. Students will create some art to help show you and others what they
learned during their explorations.
Using in-class, schoolyard or nearby outdoor resources we will provide hands-on program activities.
Please ensure that your child is dressed in, weather-appropriate clothing and footwear that can get a bit
dirty or wet without cause
for concern. Long hair
should be tied back and
jewellery left at home.
WPEC offers familyoriented events, school and
youth group programs,
summer camps and
community workshops.
Success stems from the
many dedicated long-term
and seasonal volunteers,
partners and project-based
fundraising - donations
and volunteers are always
welcome and needed.
Established in 1997, the WPEC guardians have transformed this former grassy trailer park into a
diverse ecosystem along the confluence of the Credit River and Silver Creek, Norval providing:









board-walked wetland, rehabilitated riverine shoreline, snake hibernaculum
vegetated areas planted to attract and provide habitat for specific wildlife
a successful example of restoration and regeneration of local habitats
Gardens: butterfly, xeriscape (dry adapted), Ojibwee healing, pollinator and organic food
Compost & Reuse area – demo of how to turn food waste at home into a valuable soil additive
Tree Trail to help visitors learn to identify local trees
Pond and Wetland area viewing platform for a place for spotting birds, amphibians and reptiles
Chimney Swift Tower, Fish lunkers, Snake Hibernacula - shelters for seldom seen inhabitants
Open-air shelter, benches and picnic tables for guests to rest and refresh themselves.
i
WP.GrJk/SK.01.15
463 Guelph Street, Halton Hills, ON
Parking Access: Mary St, off Hwy 7, Norval
www.willowparkecology.ca
A Not-for-Profit Corporation
Mailing Address:
c/o: Carolyn Martin, Manager
47 Irwin Cr, Georgetown, ON, L7G 1E7
905-877-2579 wpec@willowparkecology.ca
Willow Park Educational Nature Programs: Get to Know Nature Near You!
EYE-OPENING FIELD TRIPS AND IN-SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
Permission Form
Willow Park Ecology Centre
Nearby Nature Program
Teacher’s name: _________________________________________________________
Child’s name:___________________________________________________________
Date of Program: ____________________________________________________
Time of Program: ____________________________________________________
I, __________________________________________(parent/guardian’s name), give permission
for my child to participate in the Willow Park Ecology Centre’s - Get To Know Nature Near
You, Program.
Parent/Guardian’s signature:______________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________________________________
I have enclosed ___________________________________ payment for my child’s
participation.
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - <
Cut-off bottom section to keep for your records.
Visit the Park as a family and to join in WPEC volunteer and public events.
Date of your child’s In-School Program: _____________________________________________
Information on Public Events: wpec@willowparkecology.ca; 905-703-7147 / 905-877-2579
ii
WP.GrJk/SK.01.15